Courtesy of Dell Inc.

Michael Dell b. 1965

In 1984, when Michael Dell was 19 years old, he came up with a seemingly simple business idea to sell custom-made computers directly to customers and four years later the Dell Computer Corporation had a net worth of approximately $80 million. In 1992, at age 27, Dell had become the youngest CEO ever to head a Fortune 500 company. In July 1996, Dell became the first computer company to sell online. Dell's accolades include "Entrepreneur of the Year" from Inc. magazine and "Man of the Year" from PC Magazine. In 2006, the University of Texas at Austin announced a $50 million grant from the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation to "bring excellence in children's health and education to Austin."